Flag-clearer.



H. M. FILLMORB.

FLAG GLEARER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1914.

Patented Dec. 1,1914.

MJW

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LIrHQ. WASHING mm, D. C

' 1,119,147. I p v e i Application filed Januar 's, 1914. Serial-No. 810,938.

* {WEED T ll OFFICE.

HARRY M..FIL'LMOBE, or PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

' To all whom it may concern:

1 Be itknown that I, HARRY-M. Fat om, a citizen of the United States, and resident of thecity of Providence, in the county of 1 Providence and State of Rhode' Island, have invented certainnew and useful Improvemerits in- Flag-Olearers, of which the following is a specification. Thisinvention relates to, an improved flag clearer of the type adapted primarily for use on ship-board for mounting 'a comparatively small flag, suchas pennants, or the like, on-a staif to be; hoisted tothe mast head, .orother position, to prevent the same from fouling, and the invention has for its object to provide such a device of smiple and inexpensive construction that is light in weight, will not rattle and-{thatwill cause the flag to lie closelto the staff and hold the hem tight at alltimesn, I V

The invention further consists in the provision of a supporting rod that may be readily adjustedto fit flags of different sizes. A still further objectgof the invention istoprovide means whereby the flagmay be readily removed from "the clearer and i another positioned in its place when desired.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be. more fully .described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Of the accompanying drawingsi Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a portion of a flag partially 1n section, mounted on my improved clearer which v1s supported on a flagstaff. Fig. 2 is an enlarged viewofa,

portion of the extendible. rod, partially in section, illustrating the reduced outwardly turned end engagingone of the row of holes in the other member for releasably securing the two members againstrelative endwise movement. Fig. a 3 isfa perspective view of the top linlr which'connects the rodjto the staff. Fig. 4 is an enlarged edge view of.

one of the split rings forconnecting the flag to the rod and'therod to the staff. Fig. 5 is a foot block adapted to receive the fiattene portion of the flag engaging rod. 7 Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a staffwhich is preferably made of wood or other light material, adapted to be hoisted to the masthead, or other desired position.

Screwed into the upper end of this stafl or stick is a long screw-threaded pintle 11 havinga head preferably in the shape of an i Specification of Letters Patent.

4 *F Ao-QLEARE Pate nted Dec. 1', 1914.

ornamentalfball, at its outerendJ A link 131s pivotally supported on this pin at one end and extends longitudinally outward therefrom, and is providedwitha hole 1 1 at its outer end for the reception of theupper end ofrthe rod 15. This rod is preferably the upper tubular member, theinner end of this second member is preferably tapered as at 18, see Fig. 2, its extremity being reduced as at 19 and turned at substantially a right' angle so that the; inherent spring in this portion causes. this end to pass through anyone of the holes 161 which is presented to register with it. Vhen it is desired to extend or contractthis rod'to accommodatefiags of differentsizes, it is only necessary to press this end 19 inward with the point of a knife, or other instrument, and'then slide the members one upon the'jother until the desired length is obtained, when the pin is again caused to register with and enter its hole 16 and the length of' the rodis fixed in its new position. The outer surface of this rod is formed smooth so that it may. be readily pased through the hem 20of the flag, where by this portion of the flag is. held stiff and prevented fromsagging or wrinkling and giving a better andmore correct appearance when in position onthe mast. The lower end of the lower member. of this rod is preferably flattened as. M21 and is adapted to bestepped into a foot block 22 to prevent its-rotatiom This block, the underside of which'is shown in a perspective view in Fig.

J 5, is provided with a rectangular slot 23 for the reception of thecorrespondingly shaped end of the rod, the block is also provided with an eye Qel-through which a split ring 25 is passed, the same being of asize sufficient to encircle thestafi' and loosely connect the lower end of the, rod thereto.

In order to provide simple and eiiective means whereby the opposite edges of the flag may be releasably connected to and held ztaut by this device I have provided a pair of split rings 26 and 27 adapted to engage their corresponding eyelets 28 and 29 in the flag, the upper ring 26 passing through the eye 30 in the upper end of the rod and the lower ring 27 passing through the eye 31 in the block 22 and also the eye 32 in the lower end of the rod. This latter ring,

as will be seen by this construction, performs a double function, first it looks the block 22 to the end of the rod and it also secures the lower edge of the flag to the lower end of the rod.

By my improved construction of flag clearer it will be noted that as the rod passes tight and always in position. Then again,

by my construction the flag is held in corv rect position closeto the staff, as it should be in order to look well and ship-shape,

. and the flag with its extendible rod is pivotally supported by the link 13 on the pin 11 whereby it is adapted to rotate freely about the staff thereby rendering it practically impossible for The. mechanism from which aclearer is constructed must of necessity be very light for two reasons, first if the mechanism is too heavy it will be diflicult to hold the stick supporting the pennant in an upright position as it is obliged to be extended up above the end of the mast bymeans of halyards, and its tendency will be to always lop over either to one side or to the other and will be very difiicult to be held in the proper position which is very essential to devices of thischaracter, particularly on board of yachts where such devices would be used. Second, if the'device'is not very light it will not operate freely and therefore will defeat the very purpose for which it is designed, therefore in order to accomplish these purposes I have 'made the mechanism of the very lightest material, preferably of aluminum and have also constructed the parts very thin and small and yet of such shape as to give'theni the necessary strength.

I claim:

1. A flag clearercomprising a rodadapted to pass through the hem of the flag and means in said rod whereby it may be ex tended'lengthwise to accommodate flags of different sizes, a pin in the head ofthe flag stafi, a link pivotally supported atone endon said pin and its outer'end bearing for upper and lower ends of the rod for enproviding 7 a gaging corresponding eyelets in the flag andv a ring at the lower end of the rod loosely connecting the same to the staff.

Copies the flag to become foul.

said rod, a ring at both the 2. A flag clearer comprising a pivot pin projecting from the upper end of the staff,

a rigid link pivotally supported at one end on said pin, a rod adapted to pass through the hem of the flag and having its upper end engaged by the outer end of'said link, aring at the lower end of said "rod for loosely connecting the same to the staff, split rings for detachably the upper and lower ends of saidrod to corresponding eyelets in theflag, and'means' in the rod whereby-the same, may be eX- tended or contracted to accommodate flags of different sizes; a V I A-flag clearer comprising a telescoping tubular rod adapted to be pass edthrough the hem of the flag, one member of the rod being provided with a vertically disposed row of holesand the second member being slidably mounted within the first member and having a'pin at its end adapted to enter any one of said holes by spring pressure, whereby the two members may reconnecting both c. t

ceive relative endwise adjustment to cause therod to accommodate flags of different sizes, and means at both ends of said rod for being loosely connected to the staff and means'for connectingthe rod tothe flag.

l. A flag clearer comprising a telescoping tubular rod adapted to be passed through'the hem of the flag, one member of the rod being provided with vertically disposed row of holes and the second memher being slidably mountedwithinithe first member and havinga pin at its end adapted to enter any one of said holes by a spring pressure, whereby the two members may receive relative endwise adjustment to cause,

In testimony whereof affix mysignature in presence of two witnessesg'f V v H HARRY 'YFILLMORE. Witnesses: 1 I HOWARD E.'BARLOW, X 'E. I. OGDEN. v

of this patent may be obtained forv five cents each, by addressing. the "Commissioner of I ate 1h;

Washington, D.- c." 

